This is our primary and most important field of practice. We work with key players in European markets, including Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and Poland.

We help our clients enter new markets with new or improved brands, working closely with those who are responsible for the registration of products, the notification of food supplements, the marketing departments as well as sales divisions.

Food and drinks

As a key field for our company, this industry represents a hugely significant component of our practice. We work for multinational clients primarily based out of Europe or in the United States, which produce or import several commodities including chocolate and various sweets, coffee, tea, frozen or fresh meat, fruits and vegetables, bread.

FMCG

Many of our clients in the FMCG field have to confront complex issues. Our high-stake work here entails counterfeit analysis, protection strategy, business development and exports involving relevant IP strategies. We are also working with the customs and other public authorities in several jurisdictions to protect and advance our clients’ interest.

Cosmetics

We are closely working with French or Swiss cosmetics producers. The level of sophistication of the products associated with renowned brands necessitates a high degree of care in both the pre-registration phase and also during the development period. We understand the need for responsiveness and high-quality advice from all of our clients within this field.

Technology

We are proud to be involved in complex technological projects, thanks to our high-level technical understanding and experience, in conjunction with the necessary legal skills. Besides transfer technology agreements, our work requires an analysis of the important assets and a deep-rooted understanding of the legal role played by various actors. We represent clients in the procurement, use, distribution, licensing, and transfer of technology. Our professionals cover most domains of advanced technologies such as web and mobile applications, software and integrated electronic devices and security.

Software

On one hand, we work with software patents; on the other hand, we offer legal advice on sophisticated technical matters including software development. We routinely work with firms that require dedicated software agreements or simple yet effective agreements with their own developers across the globe.

Sometimes, we undertake a review or develop specific licensing agreements, in order to maximize the value of the business model of our clients. Our international experience always signifies a plus-value for our clients.

Telecommunications

In addition to telecommunication companies, we regularly represent providers of specific software or solutions geared at telecommunications players. Most of our work includes the assessment of business development and protection, including patenting aspects.

Media

We have dedicated media professionals with wide-ranging experience in advising broadcasting companies, including TV and radio broadcasters, cable TV providers, satellite TV operators, internet service providers, music companies, film companies, computer games companies, publishers, and advertisers. Our work includes but is not restricted to strategic joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, production and licensing agreements, antitrust matters and regulatory issues such as cross-ownership requirements and licensing as well as broadcast content restrictions.

Banking

Our experts are adept at dealing with the numerous intellectual property elements involved in acquisitions, asset-based lending, electronic money and payment systems, project finance, real estate finance. We are working with several international companies in the field of banking and financial services, such as development banks, investment banks, funds, and multilateral banks. Our experts offer their advice on structuring, documentation, and negotiation of a plethora of intellectual property assets required by banking and finance-related entities.

Industrial and manufacturing

We are also involved in negotiations involving large producers and industry companies, such as cement producers, construction companies, or seeds producers. Our work is very often required in strategic commercial or promotional campaigns, wherein possible conflicts have to be carefully handled amidst the presence of competition.

Investment funds

Some of our clients are private investment funds that need advice during the acquisition period. We analyze the entire portfolios of trademarks, designs, occasionally patents, domain names and other IP assets. Furthermore, we provide specialized analysis for improvement purposes or the selection of important assets.

Hospitals and medical care

We represent several networks of privately-held hospitals, clinics, maternity clinics, and pediatric centers. We help them maintain and develop their corporate identity; in addition, we advise them on matters concerning their brand image and visibility in the face of existing competition.

WHAT MAKES US
DIFFERENT,
IN OUR OPINION,
IS THE ATTENTION
WE GIVE TO DETAILS

Practice Areas

Trademarks

We handle a complete portfolio of services in relation to trademarks, which include the following, among others: advising on the suitability of marks for registration, conducting opposition, appeal and cancellation proceedings, filing trademarks worldwide, building trademark survey mechanisms against infringers, negotiating the sale and acquisition of trademarks, drafting and reviewing complex agreements pertaining to trademarks, including assignment, license, franchise and distribution agreements.

Typical projects in the design areas of our practice generally include: advising clients on the possibility of obtaining design protection in multifaceted jurisdictions, advising and representing clients in all procedures before several national or regional offices, filing designs all over the world, administrating and renewing registered designs, drafting and reviewing complex agreements related to designs – including assignment, license and distribution agreements.

Domain names

We advise on several issues related to domain names with a particular focus on litigation or arbitration proceedings, recovering the domain names and negotiations, sales, transfers, and management of portfolios of domains, including domain name acquisitions and renewals.

Software

We assist our clients with the full spectrum of software contracts, including drafting and negotiating development agreements as well as other business contracts, reviewing software applications, policies or licensing agreements.

Copyright

We handle all facets of copyright protection. The services provided in this domain particularly relate to advising clients on any type of infringement of moral and patrimonial rights.

Advising and representing clients in all procedures related to trademark infringement, including drafting petitions for the intervention of various customs authorities, counterfeit as well as unfair competition actions;

Our expertise also lies in complex patent litigation and patent infringement. We advise our clients on all relevant aspects including patent applications, licensing, technology transfers and outsourcing. Against this backdrop, our competencies include but are not restricted to:

We advise on several issues related to domain names with a particular focus on:

Litigation or arbitration proceedings regarding the infringement of trademark by a domain name, including the representation before WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center under the UDRP Rules and Policy;

Recovering the domain names from “cybersquatters”;

Negotiations, sales, and transfers of domain names registered by third parties;

Providing counsel on litigation and arbitration strategies regarding any infringement of domain names;

Managing the portfolios of domain names, including domain name acquisitions and renewals.

Software

We assist our clients with the full spectrum of software contracts, including:

Drafting and negotiating software outsourcing or development agreements as well as other business software contracts;

Reviewing software applications and software policies;

Drafting or reviewing software licensing agreements.

Copyright

We handle all facets of copyright protection. The services provided in this domain particularly relate to:

Advising clients on any type of infringement of moral and patrimonial rights;

Assistance regarding the neighboring rights (copyright), especially for cinematographic and other audiovisual works;

Assistance in the protection of copyrights pertaining to computer software;

Assistance regarding the sui-generis protection of database authors;

Representation regarding the protection of visual arts, architecture, photography works, and the protection of portraits;

Representation of radio and television broadcasting bodies in relation to public communication by satellite and cable retransmission.

Personal Data Protection

Many companies are oblivious of the fact that they are working with personal data. It is important to conclude agreements with providers or beneficiaries and systematically organize these agreements within a database to be subject to the laws governing the protection of personal data. We have built specific expertise in connection with such data protection issues:

Reviewing the software or corporate tools that involve or contain personal data;

Preparing, filing or adjusting personal data protection notifications before national bodies within the European Union;

Performing due-diligence on data protection issues, especially during the take-over or acquisition of new companies.

Business methods and ideas

In many cases, several aspects must take proactive steps to safeguard a business method or idea. Given that the idea itself cannot be protected in any jurisdiction, there is the ever-present danger of losing the rights about one’s own idea. Therefore, businesses and individuals must strategize to prevent the unlawful use of ideas. We offer precise counsel on identifying the important elements of your business. Additionally, we support you in establishing the order and priority of protection, thus avoiding disclosures which can lead to loss of rights.

Know-how

Very often, our clients are in possession of extremely valuable know-how which cannot be publicly protected in various offices, but must be kept and maintained efficaciously. We are able to offer a series of specific ways of disclosure protection and from unfair use by competitors, all the while providing the desired level of protection.

Transactions

We are regularly involved in the mandates for assignments, licensing, franchising, technology transfers. Read more here.

IP Asset Management

We have a very strong practice in the overall maintenance of the IP portfolios of our clients. Read more here.

Research and opinions

We prepare legal opinions, technical expertise, market searches and second opinions on a regular basis. Read more here.

Enforcement

A key element of a business’s soft functioning is a cost-effective and adequately enforced intellectual property infrastructure. A company should constantly develop measures seeking to prevent infringing activity. Read more here.

COSMOVICI INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

14, Rue du Rhône
CH - 1204 Geneva
Switzerland

office@cosmovici-ip.com
+41 22 819 18 05

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